Weather Forecast

Greene working on plans to bring Stanley Cup to Grand Forks

Matt Greene, who won hockey’s biggest prize with the Los Angeles Kings last month, is working on plans to bring the Cup to the city where he spent three years playing college hockey for UND.

The Cup will likely be in Grand Forks on Aug. 11 or 12. Final details are still being hammered out and will be announced at a later date.

Greene, a former UND captain who led UND to the 2005 national championship game, helped the Kings win the Stanley Cup for the second time in three years. Greene was an alternate captain on both of the Cup-winning teams.

Each member of a Cup-winning team gets to have one day with the prized trophy.

His second home

After the Kings won it in 2012, Greene brought it to his hometown of Grand Ledge, Mich. This time, he’ll bring it to Grand Forks.

“It really didn’t surprise my wife and I when he told us,” Greene’s father, Jim, said. “Two years ago, we had a fantastic time here in Grand Ledge. We had a ton of fun. The community got to share in the excitement. It was available at a couple of public events. We had a private party at our house where 400-plus people showed up. Everyone was happy. Everyone behaved well. It was great.

“Matt did that. Now, there’s another community equally as special to him.”

Greene has stayed closely connected to Grand Forks ever since he turned pro in 2005. He returns to town each summer to work out and see old friends.

Greene also has played in a summer charity golf tournament hosted by UND sociology professor Frank White. During the last NHL lockout, he drove to Houghton, Mich., to watch UND play a series against Michigan Tech.

“Matt learned a lot in those three years at UND,” Jim said. “I think he feels tremendous loyalty to the community.”

Greene will be the third former UND player to return to town with the Cup. Previously, Ed Belfour brought the Cup to Grand Forks after winning it with the Dallas Stars in 1999 and Mike Commodore did the same after winning it with the Carolina Hurricanes in 2006.

Greene recently signed a four-year, $10 million deal to stay with the Kings.